RHS hopes to use home cooking at state track meetMichael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor The Russellville Cyclones will host the Class 7A state track meet starting at 11 a.m. today at Cyclone Stadium. The Lady Cyclones recently finished second and the Cyclones seventh at last Thursday's 7A Central Conference track meet. Coach Don Carnahan said he thinks hosting the state track meet will help fuel his athletes to be in contention for the state title. "I think hosting the state meet plays ...

Area teams grateful for area supportBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor The Lady Sand Lizards are enjoying their moment in the sun after winning the AAAA softball state championship. "It's been crazy and exciting. It's been great," Dardanelle coach Chris Cope said. "It couldn't have happened to a better group of girls. It's a good thing for the town, a good thing for the school, the community and it's just been a wonderful ride." They were recently recognized at Yell ...

If they didn't care, it wouldn't hurt so muchOK, I'll admit that I am a little emotional. I cry every time I watch "Old Yeller." When I hear the "Star Spangled Banner" or "Amazing Grace," a tear will come to my eye. I felt the same way Saturday as I stood on the field at Lady 'Back Yard in Fayetteville. I was happy for the Dardanelle Lady Sand Lizards, but my heart ached for both the Clarksville Lady Panthers and Pottsville Lady Apaches. It is an empty feeling in the bottom of your stoma...

Lady Sand Lizards claim first state softball titleBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor FAYETTEVILLE - The unfortunate thing about sports is one team has to win, while another team has to lose. In Saturday's Class AAAA softball state championship, it was guaranteed one team from the Arkansas River Valley would come home with the state title, while the other would ask, "What if?" The Dardanelle Lady Sand Lizards claimed the brass ring as they defeated the Clarksville Lady Panthers 2-1 at the Univers...

Pottsville falls short in first title matchupBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor FAYETTEVILLE - It wasn't meant to be for Pottsville on Saturday as the Lady Apaches fell 9-2 to Elkins in the Class AAA softball state championship game at Lady 'Back Yard in Fayetteville. "I'd rather be here with a loss than not here at all," Pottsville coach Matt Lee said. "The things we have done well all season, we didn't do well today - plain and simple." Elkins (28-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom...

Lady Sand Lizards, Lady Panthers take inter-county rivalry to state finaleBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor For one team, this is the second trip in two years. For the other team, it is the first appearance on the grandest stage. For both teams, it is the culmination of a season of hard work, sacrifice and discipline. When the Clarksville Lady Panthers (29-8) and Dardanelle Lady Sand Lizards (30-8) take the field at 10 a.m. today at Lady 'Back Yard in Fayetteville, both teams will be playing for the opportunity to bri...

Lady Apaches hope to bag title against Lady Elks, opponent 2 years agoBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor The Pottsville Lady Apaches have a chance to bring a state title back to Pope County as they face Elkins at noon today in the Class AAA state title game at Lady 'Back Yard in Fayetteville. It would be the first female state title at Pottsville and only the second title in school history. Before the Lady Apaches (16-9) can claim the state title, they have to defeat the Lady Elks. "It's going to be a really tough ...

RHS girls 2nd in league meetBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor Russellville's Cyclones and Lady Cyclones competed Thursday in the 7A Central Conference meet. The Lady Cyclones finished second with 147 points behind Pine Bluff who scored 149. The Cyclones finished tied for seventh with 29 points. Girls Field events Autumn Stewart won the discus with a toss of 124-03. Natasha Shockey was second with a distance of 112-10. Hope Virden finished eight with a hurl of 86-04. Shocke...

CHS wins soccer titleBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Clarksville soccer coach Bryan Qualls called the boys' first AAAA state title season, a "dream-like" season. The sixth-year Panthers coach led the team to its first and only state title appearance as it defeated top-seed out of the northwest, Berryville 1-0. "It still hasn't quite sunk in yet," Qualls said. "It just feels like everything feel into place perfectly this year." The Panthers faced adv...

Clarksville advances to state finalsBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor The No. 4 seed and host Clarksville Lady Panthers defeated top-seeded Farmington 3-1 Monday for a berth in the AAAA state title game. Halie McCormick got the win and held the Lady Cardinals to just one run over seven innings as she struck out eight batters. Farmington threatened in the third inning with a runner on second. A Lady Cardinal player singled, trying to put the first run on the board of...

Three teams, two titles, one goalBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor Dark storm clouds and the threat of rain didn't deter four local teams Monday as the chance to play for a state title was on the line for all of them. One game featured Atkins and Pottsville, the other two had Dardanelle facing Gentry and Clarksville battling Farmington. Pottsville 3, Atkins 1 One team was going to have its season come to an end, while the other would advance to the Class AAA title game as Atkin...

Head 'chief' says goodbye to PottsvilleBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor POTTSVILLE - A 40-year adventure will come to an end for Pottsville's athletic director, John Needham, who has announced his retirement. Needham, who came to Pottsville in 1967 as the school's girls basketball coach with only one year of coaching experience at the time, said he would call it quits May 31. "Pottsville wound up being a great match for me, and I've spent the rest of my time here, " N...

Atkins, Pottsville to meet in semifinalsLady Sand Lizards' Carter pitches perfect game By Quinton Bagley Sports Editor Dardanelle's Cendyl Carter threw a perfect-game no-hitter against Pocahontas on Saturday to highlight what was a good day for Arkansas River Valley teams in state softball tournaments. In addition to the Lady Lizards' gem, Pottsville, Atkins and Clarksville all advanced to the semifinals to be played on Monday. Dardanelle 3, Pocahontas 0 Carter faced the minimum 21 ...

Area diamond teams head to stateBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Area teams are ready to do battle on the diamond this weekend as state baseball and softball tournaments begin. Clarksville, Pottsville, Atkins and Dardanelle will compete in softball to earn the right to be called state champions, while Dover will vie for a state title in baseball. Dardanelle vs. Ashdown Dardanelle recently finished third in the North Region after beating 4AAAA-rival Clarksville....

Lady Cyclones fall at home to CabotBy Robert McCollum Special to The Courier Cabot's Jamie Sterrenberg and Rachel Glover both went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and an RBI apiece as the Lady Panthers downed the Russellville Lady Cyclones 5-2 Tuesday at Hickey Park. The loss dropped Russellville to 9-19 on the season and 4-9 in 7A-Central Conference play. Cabot improved to 20-8 and 12-2. Kelsey White and Ashley Gee each had two hits for the Lady Cyclones. The results were m...

Russellville soccer coaches recognizedBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Russellville soccer coaches Kelly Young and Jerod Fuller were honored recently by being named Most Outstanding Coach of the Year in the 7A Central conference. "My ultimate goal is to eventually win a state title, but that takes time," Young said. "We'll continue to have success." Young and Fuller were nominated by their fellow coaches in the 7A-Central Conference as they were giving their nominati...

2 no hitters + 1 home run = winsBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor As the games got more important, the players became more focused. Two no-hitters allowed teams to claim victory and earn high seeds in the state tournament. Pottsville won the Class AAA Region 2 3-0 and will take the No. 1 seed into the state tournament with help from Christa Clark, who threw a no-hitter. Dardanelle earned the No. 3 seed in the state tournament with a no-hitter from Cendyl Carter ...

Tri-County basketball team announcedBy Quinton Bagley Sports Editor After weeks of calculating numbers and tallying stats, the 2007 Tri-County Boys and Girls basketball team has taken form. The team consists of the best the Arkansas River Valley has to offer and claims one player from the 10 high schools in The Courier's coverage area. Boys Dardanelle coach Shane Thurman has earned Tri-County Boys Coach of the Year honors. In his second season at the helm, Thurman guided the San...

Area teams open regionals with a winBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor With eight teams in each regional and only four advancing to state, tension was high for all teams going into Saturday's regionals. Certain teams and players would shine as a no-hitter, a home run and a grand slam would lead three teams to play in the state tournament, while another dug out a win. Atkins' Chelsea Riley pitched a no-hitter as the Lady Red Devils beat Abundant Life 13-0 in five inni...

Local teams headed to regionalsBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Some local softball teams are preparing their run for state in the regional tournaments that begin today. Clarksville (25-6, 6-0 4AAAA) and Atkins (19-9, 10-0 5AAA) are taking No. 1 seeds going into the tournament and hope to capture their region as well as a state title bid. Clarksville is the No. 1 seed in 4AAAA and Atkins is the No. 1 seed in 5AAA. With eight teams in each region, one win guara...